About Helvetia

Against the backdrop of sweeping vistas of lush farmland, Helvetia, Oregon attracts more than 100,000 people every year who come to our pastoral countryside
to enjoy a variety of recreational experiences in a rural setting.
One journalist referred to Helvetia as “Oregon's Brigadoon” to describe its magical sense of place.

“Our Helvetia” is HCA's digital magazine that features seasonal highlights, area attractions, and historical stories of the Helvetia, Oregon area.
Each issue is filled with beautiful images, informative articles, and a calendar of events of the season.
Click the image to the right to read summaries of each issue.

Throughout the year, HCA presents educational talks about Helvetia's history, heritage, farming, events and other topics of interest to various groups.
A presentation entitled "Helvetia, Our Sustainable Treasure" was recently made to Helvetia's local high school.
Click the title or the image to the right to view it. (Warning: 120MB PDF file.)

The following is a brief summary of Helvetia's unique cultural heritage, natural resources, and farming traditions.

Helvetia’s Cultural Heritage

Helvetia’s unique character derives from a blend of Native American and European cultures.

Native Americans

Helvetia’s cultural heritage embraces the pre-settlement Atfalati (Twality) inhabitants, now part of The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde.
Helvetia Community Association partners with the Tribes to interpret the heritage of Helvetia’s first peoples.

Swiss and Germans

German-Swiss farmers immigrated to the Helvetia area over 150 years ago.
They saw a strong resemblance to their native Switzerland in the fertile soils and rolling hills of the Tualatin Mountains and named the area “Helvetia”,
Latin for “Switzerland.”
The Swiss culture remains a vibrant element of our area as we continue to honor their hard-working heritage.

The Helvetia Culture Fest

Each year, we celebrate our unique cultural heritage by hosting the Helvetia Culture Fest.
This fun event features inspiring music and dancing by local musicians, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and the Swiss community,
as well as a rollicking Pie Walk and unique items for sale from the Helvetia Marketplace.

Helvetia’s Natural Resources

Helvetia offers a rich habitat that supports a diversity of plants and animals.

Roosevelt Elk

For generations, several herds of Roosevelt elk have roamed our area.
Helvetia Community Association sponsors a Community Elk Sighting Project.

Vulnerable Species

Four species are dependent upon the Oregon white oak for habitat and are listed as Vulnerable Sensitive Species.
Helvetia Community Association sponsors a community-wide bird habitat education project.

Protecting Our Farms

Over the past thirty years, the Helvetia area has been the target of numerous attempts by local and state government to replace Helvetia’s productive
farmland with incompatible uses.
Helvetia Community Association and our sister organization Save Helvetia
are committed to preserving and protecting our farming heritage.